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Nairobi Attack: Shabab Claim Responsibility for Deadly Assault Shabab Claim Responsibility for Deadly Assault on Nairobi Hotel-Office Complex
(about 1 hour later)
Assailants identified as Shabab militants attacked a Nairobi luxury hotel and office complex on Tuesday, spreading death and panic as the police sealed off the area and evacuated wounded civilians. Assailants identified as Shabab militants attacked a Nairobi luxury hotel and office complex on Tuesday, spreading death and panic as the police in Kenya’s capital evacuated civilians and sealed off the area.
At least one person was confirmed killed and 15 wounded in the assault in the Kenyan capital, the authorities said, but the death toll appeared to higher based on news-service photographs taken at the scene showing at least four bodies splayed on a restaurant terrace. The KTN News Kenya service said at least five people were killed. At least one person was confirmed killed and 15 wounded in the assault, the authorities said, but the death toll appeared to be higher based on news-service photographs taken at the scene showing at least four bodies splayed on a restaurant terrace.
The police warned that some of the assailants, armed with guns and grenades, were still inside Nairobi’s 14 Riverside Drive complex, which includes the DusitD2 Hotel, part of a Thai-owned international chain. The KTN News Kenya service said at least five people were killed. Others said the death toll was at least seven.
The assault by the Shabab, an Islamist extremist group with ties to Al Qaeda that has carried out many attacks in eastern Africa, came on the eve of a verdict in the trial of four men accused of helping the Shabab orchestrate a deadly assault on a Nairobi shopping mall five years ago. One attacker was a suicide bomber, the police said, detonating an explosion in the lobby of the seven-story DusitD2 Hotel. The number of other assailants, armed with grenades and guns, was not clear.
The police warned that some of the assailants were still inside Nairobi’s 14 Riverside Drive complex, which includes the hotel, part of a Thai-owned international chain.
The assault by the Shabab, an Islamist extremist group with ties to Al Qaeda that has carried out many attacks in eastern Africa, came on the eve of a verdict in the trial of three men accused of helping the Shabab orchestrate a deadly assault on a the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi five years ago.
The inspector general of the police, Joseph Boinett, said Tuesday’s assault began at the I&M bank with an explosion that targeted three vehicles and “a suicide explosion in the foyer of Dusit hotel where a number of guests suffered severe injuries.”
Mr. Boinett told reporters that a “swift and targeted response by our security agencies” had contained the attack, at least one suspect was in custody, and that six of the hotel’s floors had been secured.
“The operation continues to secure the remaining outbuildings in the complex,” he said.
Dr. Mercy Korir, a physician at a Nairobi hospital, confirmed that at least 15 people had been wounded. Several hospitals in the city were appealing for blood donations, and the Kenya Red Cross opened a hotline for family members searching for loved ones.Dr. Mercy Korir, a physician at a Nairobi hospital, confirmed that at least 15 people had been wounded. Several hospitals in the city were appealing for blood donations, and the Kenya Red Cross opened a hotline for family members searching for loved ones.
Nairobi’s sprawling Village Market shopping complex, located in the Gigiri neighborhood five miles away, closed temporarily after news of the attack broke, as a security precaution.Nairobi’s sprawling Village Market shopping complex, located in the Gigiri neighborhood five miles away, closed temporarily after news of the attack broke, as a security precaution.
The inspector general of the police, Joseph Boinett, confirmed there had been casualties but could not say how many. Although the Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, he declined to call it an act of terrorism and maintained that the police had the situation under control.
Mr. Boinett said that one assailant was in custody and that the police were searching for others in the building complex.
The raid began around 3 p.m. in the Westland area of the city, the Site Intelligence Group, which monitors the group’s activities, said. Witnesses told KTN News Kenya that four men had jumped out of a white car and opened fire as they arrived at a security checkpoint, before blasting their way into the complex.The raid began around 3 p.m. in the Westland area of the city, the Site Intelligence Group, which monitors the group’s activities, said. Witnesses told KTN News Kenya that four men had jumped out of a white car and opened fire as they arrived at a security checkpoint, before blasting their way into the complex.
“I just started hearing gunshots, and then started seeing people running away raising their hands up, and some were entering the bank to hide for their lives,” a woman working in the neighborhood told Reuters.“I just started hearing gunshots, and then started seeing people running away raising their hands up, and some were entering the bank to hide for their lives,” a woman working in the neighborhood told Reuters.
Police and counterterrorism officers quickly surrounded the complex, and videos showed security officers evacuating dozens of people from the buildings while gunfire crackled in the background and cars burned.Police and counterterrorism officers quickly surrounded the complex, and videos showed security officers evacuating dozens of people from the buildings while gunfire crackled in the background and cars burned.
“I tried to escape with a friend but she fainted as we ran away from the gunshots,” one woman told KTN News. “So I had to leave her and hide in one of the bathrooms until the police came and rescued me.”“I tried to escape with a friend but she fainted as we ran away from the gunshots,” one woman told KTN News. “So I had to leave her and hide in one of the bathrooms until the police came and rescued me.”
One man emerged covered with blood, and others less obviously wounded were also sent to nearby hospitals. As of 6 p.m., an unspecified number of people were still huddled inside the complex, according to local news reports and postsi on Twitter. One man emerged covered with blood, and others less obviously wounded were also sent to nearby hospitals. As of 6 p.m., an unspecified number of people were still huddled inside the complex, according to local news reports and posts on Twitter.
“We are under attack at 14 Riverside Drive,” said a Twitter user identified as Miss Rachel. She later posted a message that she had been rescued.“We are under attack at 14 Riverside Drive,” said a Twitter user identified as Miss Rachel. She later posted a message that she had been rescued.
One witness said that she had seen body parts as she left the site, and there were reports of gun victims, including at least one child, being treated at local hospitals. One witness said she had seen body parts as she left the site. There were reports of gun victims, including at least one child, being treated at local hospitals.
The attack by the Shabab, a militant Islamist organization linked to Al Qaeda, came exactly three years after the group assaulted a Kenyan military base in Somalia that killed around 140 soldiers. The group, which is based in Somalia, was also responsible for an attack in 2013 on the Westgate mall in Nairobi where the militants killed 67 people. The Shabab, which is based in Somalia, has been fighting the United Nations-backed government in Mogadishu, Somalia, for years, seeking to impose its strict interpretation of Islam.
The Shabab have been fighting the United Nations-backed government in Mogadishu, Somalia, for years, seeking to impose its strict interpretation of Islam. In recent months, they have carried out a spate of attacks in Kenya, killing dozens. In recent months, the group has carried out a spate of attacks in Kenya, killing dozens.
The attack came shortly before a court was expected to hand down a verdict in the trial of four men charged with aiding the Shabab in the mall attack. The men have denied the charges. Tuesday’s attack came exactly three years after the group assaulted a Kenyan military base in Somalia that killed around 140 soldiers.
The group’s 2013 attack on Nairobi’s Westgate mall killed 67 people. The three men accused of aiding the Shabab in that attack have denied the charges. A fourth suspect was acquitted earlier.
David Aronsen, a Shabab expert at the University of Warwick in England, said the group was known for plots timed to significant dates.David Aronsen, a Shabab expert at the University of Warwick in England, said the group was known for plots timed to significant dates.
“If you look at their propaganda this is a very self-evidently determined policy,” he said. “So the authorities in Nairobi would have been on their guard in the last few days given the coincidence of Shabab-related events around this time of the calendar.”“If you look at their propaganda this is a very self-evidently determined policy,” he said. “So the authorities in Nairobi would have been on their guard in the last few days given the coincidence of Shabab-related events around this time of the calendar.”
The United States military has stepped up its attacks against Shabab in Somalia in recent months. The military conducted 47 strikes in 2018, up from 31 in 2017. And the Americans already have carried out five strikes in 2019, most recently on Jan. 8 against a Shabab encampment in Somalia’s Yaaq Braawe, Bay Region. The United States military has stepped up its attacks against Shabab in Somalia in recent months. The military conducted 47 strikes in 2018, up from 31 in 2017.
And the Americans already have carried out five strikes in 2019, most recently on Jan. 8 against a Shabab encampment in Somalia’s Yaaq Braawe, Bay Region.
But the ability of the militants to attack targets not only in Somalia but in neighboring Kenya punctuated its resilience.But the ability of the militants to attack targets not only in Somalia but in neighboring Kenya punctuated its resilience.
“Despite the increased targeting of Shabab over the last few years, there is no evidence to support the assertion that Shabab’s insurgency has been abated or its leadership cadre has been depleted,” said Bill Roggio, editor of FDD’s Long War Journal, a website run by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies that tracks military strikes against militant groups.“Despite the increased targeting of Shabab over the last few years, there is no evidence to support the assertion that Shabab’s insurgency has been abated or its leadership cadre has been depleted,” said Bill Roggio, editor of FDD’s Long War Journal, a website run by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies that tracks military strikes against militant groups.
“Shabab continues to maintain an effective insurgency, controls large rural areas in southern and central Somalia, and continues to threaten Somali cities and towns.” “Shabab continues to maintain an effective insurgency, controls large rural areas in southern and central Somalia, and continues to threaten Somali cities and towns,” he added.